The present invention relates to a vehicle control apparatus or method for automatically controlling a headway vehicle-to-vehicle distance or a vehicle speed, and more specifically to a vehicle control apparatus or method for controlling a longitudinal driving or braking force in the case of driver's intervention.
Japanese Patent Kokai Publication No. 5(1993)-246270 discloses a vehicle control system for controlling the vehicle speed and the headway vehicle-to-vehicle distance. In such a system, the automatic control is interrupted by a driver's accelerator or brake pedal operation, and control is transferred to the driver.